rub salt in someone's wounds

Meanings:

• 1.

  Globalinformalidiomatic
  • To make someone's pain, embarrassment, or misfortune worse by reminding them of it or adding an insulting or hurtful remark.
  • To aggravate an emotional or reputational injury by deliberate provocation or taunting.

• 2.

  Globalneutral
  • To worsen physical pain by applying salt to an open wound (literal sense).